Anker Astro E3 10000mAh Dual-Port Battery: The Only Travel Battery You’ll Need

I’m just back from a trip to Las Vegas Nevada where the daytime temperature was 102 degrees by 9:30am (No, it’s not a dry heat. It’s a HOT heat). I attended a  conference and was in sessions virtually all day. Once  sessions ended it was dinner and group events until close to midnight. While running from event to event it’s tough to keep a smartphone or tablet charged.  But for this trip I found the $25 solution to my battery concerns- an Anker Astro E3 external battery. Before I left for Vegas I ordered an Anker Astro E3 10,000 mAh battery charger from Amazon. I paid $25 and it’s probably the best $25 I’ve spent on technology in quite some time.

Here’s What I Like About The Anker Astro E3 External Battery:

First, you  charge the Anker battery with a regular Micro-USB charger. I carry one to power my Moto X so I didn’t have to worry about hauling another proprietary charging cord for the Anker. When I wasn’t charging my phone I’d use the Moto X’s Micro USB power cord to charge the Anker battery overnight.   Tip: These old BlackBerry Playbook travel chargers (above) push out 1.80A and cost only a little over $5. I’ve been using them on all my devices at home and when I travel. The power output seems to fully charge the Anker in about two to three hours, which fluctuates depending upon whether I’m using the phone(s) while they’re charging so your mileage may vary.

Second, the battery includes two high speed USB charging ports so you can charge up to two devices at one time. The only thing you’ll need is the cables (not included with the battery). I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my iPhone 5S would charge from being nearly depleted. While I wasn’t timing the charge cycle I’d guesstimate  it would easily completely charge within 45 minutes. I travel with an iPhone 5S and on this trip a Moto X. Both were connected and I was able to quickly boost them simultaneously to a full charge.

Last, I’d expected this charger to live up to it’s name (Anker) by being big and bulky. I was pleasantly surprised that the size was not much bigger than a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the styling and weight made it comfortable to hold.

Amazon has the Anker Astro E3 model available here [affiliate link] – presently priced at $25.99.  I purchased it with my own money prior to my Las Vegas trip and will likely pick up a second one for my kids who seem to constantly be looking for a charger on long car trips.